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The Matenadaran is a unique repository of exclusive and valuable manuscripts, a treasury of the intellectual heritage of the Armenian people, a museum and a scientific research institute.

1957

The Matenadaran is a unique repository of exclusive and valuable manuscripts, a treasury of the intellectual heritage of the Armenian people, a museum and a scientific research institute, which has universal value. In 1997. It was registered on the UNESCO Memory of the World List and is considered one of the most important places for the preservation and development of the Armenian national memory. Currently, the approximately 23,000 manuscripts (Armenian, Greek, Arabic, Persian, Assyrian, Latin, Ethiopian, Georgian, Hebrew, etc.) and approximately 300,000 archival documents stored here cover almost all areas of ancient and medieval Armenian science and culture: history, geography, grammar, philosophy, law, medicine, mathematics, cosmology, archaeology, translated and national literature, miniature painting, music, and theater. Thanks to the Armenian translations made in the Middle Ages, numerous originals not preserved in the mother tongues were saved from loss. Matenadaran (meaning repository of manuscripts, a repository of manuscripts, a collection), as the first scientific research institution in the Armenian SSR, was established in 1921 on the basis of the manuscript collection of Echmiadzin. Initially, it was called the Cultural and Historical Institute. In 1939, it was moved from Echmiadzin to Yerevan and operated in the Public Library building. The design of the main building began during the Great Patriotic War, and was built by the design of Mark Grigoryan (1900-1978), Honored Artist of the Armenian SSR, Honored Architect, Chief Architect of Yerevan from 1937 to 1951. Construction was completed in 1957.

The Matenadaran was moved to a new building in 1959 and, by decision of the Armenian SSR government, was transformed into the Scientific Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. Since 1962, it has been named after Mesrop Mashtots.

In 1978, book depositories were built on the northern slope.

The main building is a four-story, monumental building with a basement, built of gray basalt, in the "midis" arrangement. The height to the eaves is 22.4 m. The facades are designed in a strict and laconic style. The interior is designed according to the constructive and stylistic principles of Armenian medieval buildings (vestibule, library). It is divided into vaulted areas with columns and arches.

In the lobby of the main building is the mosaic "Avarayr Battle" (artist: Van Khachatur, 1960), from the main staircase leading to the second floor is visible the three-part fresco "History of Armenian Culture" (artist: Van Khachatur, 1959). In 1961 The interior with 40 ceramic works was designed by Armenian potter, painter, People's Artist of the Armenian SSR Hmayak Bdeyan, and in 1977 his sculptures "Pen" and "Flowering" were also installed. Near the main facade of the building, on separate pedestals, are placed the statues of prominent figures of medieval Armenian culture: Anania Shirakatsi (sculptor: Grigor Badalyan, 1963), Movses Khorenatsi (sculptor: Yerem Vardanyan, 1964), Mkhitar Gosh (sculptor: Ghukas Chubaryan, 1967), Toros Roslin (sculptor: Arsham Shahinyan, 1967), Frik (sculptor: Suren Nazaryan, 1967) and Grigor Tatevatsi (sculptor: Arsham Grigoryan, 1967). Along the main axis of the building, near the retaining wall, there is a group of statues of Mesrop Mashtots, the founder of the Armenian alphabet, and his famous student Koryun (sculptor: Ghukas Chubaryan, 1962). The first sentence in Armenian is engraved on the retaining wall: “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding.”

The open-air museum of the low arched halls adjacent to the building exhibits valuable monuments brought from different parts of Armenia: a dragon stone (2nd-1st millennium BC), a monument “Dur” (brought from the Red Hill, 7th century BC), cross-stones (1294, 1545, 1596, 1604), an inscribed tombstone (XVII), etc.

In order to expand the activities of the Matenadaran and replenish the manuscript collection, a new building was designed in 1987-1988 (architect: Arthur Meschyan). Construction began in 1988, but was interrupted after the devastating Spitak earthquake. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new building took place on May 14, 2009, in the back of the main building. It was built in 2009-2011. It is consistent with the main building in terms of its spatial solutions, and exceeds it by 4 times.

The main building was renovated and turned into a museum building, quadrupling the exhibition areas.

The construction of the Matenadaran building is also important from an urban planning point of view: with its volume, it organizes the end of Mashtots Avenue and that part of the city in general.

The Matenadaran is an internationally recognized and highly rated institution that has become one of the landmarks of Yerevan.

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